Spiders and Magic: Rise of Spider-Mane

by Maximus_Reborn

Sharing is Caring

Chapter Thirty-Five "Sharing is Caring"

Eighteen Days Remain

The hours were early by his standards, but Peter found himself wide awake before noon. It was a small price the stallion had to pay for sharing the same bed as Twilight last night, but Peter didn't mind as he sat outside of the throne room with his gaze fixed on the ground. A meeting was called between Shining Armor and Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight, but Peter was asked to wait outside for the moment. From what he'd gathered, the discussion was centered around Spider-Mane's bout with Celestia and his decision to reveal his identity to the public.

Celestia promised that Twilight's part in the meeting would be short, thus giving the young couple the entire day to sort things out. While Peter's wounds had healed exceptionally well overnight, considering the level of damage his body sustained, the stallion advised (borderline ordered) by Cadance to keep from doing anything strenuous for the day. The alicorn even filled the missing patches of fur in for the stallion, hiding the evidence of the previous battle.

Peter's mind was centered on another matter. He was going to reveal his identity to the world soon. That fact alone kept the stallion on edge. As towhenthat would happen remained to be seen, but before the news can go public, there were a few select ponies Peter wanted to share his secret with first. That meant two stops had to be made once Twilight concluded her business with the others. It was only right to tell these specific ponies the truth, considering how close they were to him personally (or would be soon, anyway). Peter's heart rate quickened, a sign of his well-developed trepidation.

There would be consequences for this course of action. Peter accepted that, but he only hoped their reactions wouldn't be negative or volatile. Suddenly, his ears perked at the sound of the door's protesting creak as it slid open. Peter turned his head in its direction, only to be greeted by Twilight's beautiful smile. The temperature in the stallion's face rose. The mare bore the same smile earlier in the morning, both in her sleep and when she awoke. Its effect was telling, fueling Peter's desire to match Twilight's smile to the best of his ability, but the task was impossible, for he could never replicate something so beautiful.

Forcing himself to his hooves, the stallion found himself drowning in the ocean of bliss as he made his way over to the mare, refusing to divert his gaze elsewhere. The best he could do was ensure Twilight stayed happy and smiled like this more often.

Peter tilted his head to the side. "How'd the meeting go? What's the word?"

Twilight stood silent for a few seconds, inflating the stallion's nervousness by a considerable margin, but she broke her silence with an innocent giggle. "They're all happy you considered this." Her smile seemed permanent. "It was agreed that your revealing and ceremony will take place the same night as my princess coronation. Minutes after, to be exact." She closed the gap between herself and Peter, their muzzles only inches apart. "Is that okay with you?"

Peter's eyes widened but quickly fell to the side, shame filling them. "The same night? But the coronation's meant to beyournight!" Shaking his head disapprovingly, the stallion sighed solemnly and placed his hoof over the mare's cheek."We can reschedule. I want my princess to have her moment. Trust me. You've earned it."

Twilight's smile deepened as her heart swelled. "You're so sweet, Peter, but I talked it over with Princess Celestia already. All things considered, I want it to beournight." Giggling, the mare stepped past the stallion, but not before planting a sweet kiss on his cheek, and once he nodded in defeated fashion, Peter followed, walking alongside her. "So are you sure you want to do this now? We can wait for them to find out during the coronation," Twilight suggested, taking a moment to readjust the crown on her head with her golden-laced hoof. It would take some time to get used to having to wear such attire on a daily basis. "I don't want you to think youhaveto do this for my sake. We're already asking enough of you as it is."

Peter tightened the strap of the backpack on his shoulder. "No, it's better to tell them now than to spring it on them at the last minute. Yeah, I'm nervous, but as long as you're there with me, I can deal with whatever happens." Trotting ahead, the stallion stepped in front of his mare, cutting off her path. He reached down and took one of her hooves into his own. Peter frowned, his demeanor matching a serious one all of a sudden. His tone was overly dramatic. "Twilight, I love you, but if I don't survive this, I want you to have my chemistry set. Just promise me you won't genetically alter any spiders."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop it."

"You also can't experiment with gamma radiation," Peter added, stroking the fur over the mare's hoof affectionately. "Green is totallynotyour color."

Exhaling, Twilight stared blankly at the stallion. "Peter...what did we say about references onlyyouunderstand?"

"Yeah, you're right," he countered, giving an affirming nod. Twilight prepared to let out a sigh of relief, but Peter grinned. "Replicating the Super Soldier Serum is off-limits, too."

"Peter!"

---

"You can't imagine how happy I am to see you two again!" Velvet giggled uncontrollably, magically levitating two glasses of lemonade over to the table across from the young couple sitting on the couch. The older mare practically skipped over to the chair next to her husband's and took a seat, smiling widely. "This is a pleasant surprise! Now what brings you here?"

Twilight, using her own magic, lifted the cup over her mouth and took several sips of the sweet beverage before gently placing it back over the table with a giggle. "Actually, Mom, it was Peter's idea that we come by for a visit," she said, sharing a glance with her stallion, who simply scratched the back of his head diffidently. Clearing her throat, Twilight placed her hooves on the sofa and sternly glared at her parents. "There's something we need to talk about. It's...really important."

"Does it haveanythingto do with your injuries?" Nightlight interrupted abruptly, unable to pry his eyes away from the heavily bandaged stallion. He frowned, furrowing his brow. "Please tell me it wasn't another timberwolf attack. If so, you have horrible luck, son."

Waving his hooves defensively, Peter promptly denied the accusation. "No, sir. It wasn't timberwolves," the stallion trailed off, taking the time to force the lump in his throat down into his stomach. Biting down on his lip, Peter sorted through his mind for possible explanations, but there was only one truth to give, it being significantly difficult to say outright. "It was never timberwolves. I'm sorry for lying to you. The truth is...I'm actually... Um..."

His mind and tongue failed to coincide, making it impossible for the stallion to form the simplest words without stammering. "This is so much harder than I thought it would be," he confessed, cursing the fact that, after all these years, it was easier to lie than to tell the truth in regards to his alter ego. Suddenly, as if sensing his diminishing nerve, Twilight placed her hoof over Peter's and gave the stallion a warm, reassuring smile. Despite the bandages wrapped around his hoof, he could feel the mare's warmth seep through the adhesive tape and spread through his limb.

Twilight's smile carried a similar effect, channeling a wave of positive energy through his soul. His words from earlier returned, enforcing his emotions held for Twilight. No matter what happened, as long as she was there by his side, he didn't care how things turned out. Inhaling deeply, Peter shared one more smile with Twilight before turning his attention back to her parents, all while keeping their hooves together.

"Mrs. Velvet. Mr. Light," Peter started, sliding his free hoof inside his opened backpack to retrieve the damaged costume from within, but while several portions were burned away, the mask and spider emblem over the chest were still intact respectively. "I'm Spider-Mane."

The room fell silent for awhile; the only sounds to be heard were those coming from outside of the Sparkle household. Velvet and Nightlight stared at the stallion with their eyes wide. Peter's ears fell into his mane, and before long, he slammed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the backlash that was sure to come. Twilight continued to caress her stallion's hoof, but her gaze remained firm and centered towards her parents.

After an agonizing amount of time, Velvet's horn glowed, enveloping Peter's costume in magical energy before levitating over to her position. Her hoof brushed over the material several times, all while minding the holes riddling the tights.

Nightlight raised an eyebrow, shifting his attention from the tattered costume to his daughter. "Is this true, Twilight?"

Twilight nodded. "Yes, Dad. It's very true."

"I see." Nightlight turned his gaze to Peter. "So you're the hero that's been taking the world by storm?" The older stallion placed his hoof under his chin, but instead of yelling at the top of his lungs (as Peter expected), Nightlight found a smile as he let out a relieved sigh. "Velvet and I had our suspicions, but it's still a little surprising to say the least."

Peter's eyes shot open. He slowly raised his head and was greeted by the surreal sight of two welcoming smiles in contrast to what his mind had played out for the past twenty-four hours. "So, you two...aren't upset?"

Velvet's smile widened upon hearing Peter's confession. "Of course not, dear! This just answers so many questions!" She stood from her seat and made her way over to the young couple. Once hoof-lengths away, Velvet magically surrendered the costume to Twilight. Suddenly, before anypony could react, she wrapped her hooves around Peter's neck and pulled him into a warm embrace, unaware of how high the stallion's body temperature rose due to the contact. "We knew the pony our little Twilight would fall for would be just as special as her."

Twilight whined under her breath. "Mom, stop. Peter's still injured from yesterday."

"...Am not," Peter chided, resisting the urge to return the older mare's embrace.

The alicorn's cheeks flushed as mild irritation filled her voice."Yes, you are."

Peter grinned into Velvet's coat, which had a scent significantly similar to Twilight's. Once again, in spite of his mind's cynical train of thought, Equestria continued to surprise the stallion in the best ways possible. Velvet finally heeded her daughter's advice and ended her embrace with Peter, but she stayed close, prancing in place with the heightened enthusiasm of a schoolfilly. Exasperated, Twilight could only bring her hoof over her forehead as her mother attacked Peter with several questions all related to Spider-Mane, some more trivial than others.

"Your costume! Who designed it?"

Peter laughed, the sound a combination of giddy relief and nervousness. "Uh, I made the original design, but Rarity's put her own spin on it nowadays."

"It's quite unique!" Velvet giggled. "Do you actually make your own webbing?"

Scratching the back of his head, the stallion shrugged. "As in like how actual spiders do? No. I invented web-shooters that I strap to my hooves. The process is tricky, but I have chemical capsules installed in the mounts."

Velvet´s eyes wandered across his body. "You're so fit." Twilight and Nightlight rose their brows respectively, only to groan outwardly once the older mare placed her hooves over her warm cheeks. "I've never seen a pony so flexible and athletic in my life! You must work out a lot."

Peter blushed at the compliment. "Well, thank you, I guess. Some of it's all genetic, but web-swinging across and fighting princesses is a lot of work, too. Twilight asks me the same thing." The alicorn rammed her hoof into his side, prompting the stallion to clear his throat forcefully. "It's nothing, really."

"Um... If it isn't too much trouble... May I ask a favor?" When Peter nodded, Velvet sped out of the room but came back with a small, rolled-up poster in her magical grasp. She opened it, revealing a picture of Spider-Mane swinging alongside Spitfire. "Could I have an autograph? As you can see I'm something of a fan!"

Peter groaned inwardly. "You are? Well...thanks, but I'm not really used to this kind of attention..."

Twilight giggled. "It's true. Peter's unusually modest when it comes to recognition. He always goes out of his way to avoid it."

Velvet gave the stallion a friendly wink. "Shyandmodest? You're so cute, dear!"

"So!" Nightlight finally called out, interrupting his wife before she could proceed any further. "What made you two decide to tell us all of a sudden?"

Twilight cleared her throat before going into detail regarding Princess Celestia's plans for Peter. The information was classified, meaning only a select few ponies were aware, but because of their close relation to both Shining Armor and Twilight, Velvet and Nightlight were allowed to know the truth before the main unveiling. Once the details had been shared, the alicorn slid back into her seat and gave Peter a confident smile, who diverted his uncertain gaze to the side. Even now, it seemed impossible for the stallion to believe what was about to happen.

Clapping her hooves together, Twilight's tone lightened and filled with eagerness. "It's all going to happen the night of the coronation! I'm so excited! Are you two still coming?"

"Of course we are, honey!" Velvet answered without a hint of hesitation, matching Twilight's cheerful demeanor.

As Peter watched the mares converse, his lips curled into a smile. At first glance, Twilight and Velvet could have been mistaken as sisters instead of daughter and mother, but as much as he would have enjoyed watching them talk or relishing in his small victory, Peter knew the day was not done. There were others that needed to learn the truth, but all things considered, the next confession would probably be easier than Twilight's parents.

"...Peter?" Velvet had leaned over until her face was only inches away from the stallion's muzzle. Gasping out loud, Peter jumped without thinking, latching onto the ceiling upside-down. He chastised himself, hating that Twilight's mother caught him in the midst of thinking too hard. Eventually, he forced himself back down, landing a few feet from a surprised Velvet, and took the moment to gather his composure and sip at his lemonade. With a mischievous grin, the older mare shifted her violet gaze between Twilight and Peter. She couldn't help but tease the pair. "So, when can I expect to see grandfillies?"

Unfortunately, Velvet's question came at an inopportune time, namely while Peter was in the midst of drinking his beverage. He snorted involuntarily, choking back some of the lemonade in the process. Unfortunately, a large amount of his drink shot from his mouth and met with Velvet's face. As the stallion struggled to breathe, Twilight patted him across the back, and her face flushed to a dark shade of red as she chastised her mother for her inappropriate sense of humor. Nightlight, on the other hoof, laughed uproariously at the sight, feeling a sense of nostalgia take hold. When his son first started dating Cadance a few years ago, Velvet pulled the exact same stunt...

...and earned a similar reaction. It didn't help Peter was just as awkward as Shining Armor used to be.

---

A couple of hours had passed since Velvet and Nightlight learned the secret of Spider-Mane's identity. Peter and Twilight would have arrived in Ponyville sooner if not for her mother's insistence that they stay for lunch. Now they stood outside of the treebrary, waiting for Spike to gather some of his possessions, and Trixie remained to herself, stretched across the sofa with her gaze fixed in her book.

Peter furrowed his brow at Twilight. "So you have to go back to Canterlot already?"

She shook her head. "Yeah. I just have to return to the meeting. There's quite a bit we all need to talk about." Twilight paused, shifting her gaze to the outskirts of the village. "Will you be fine on your own?"

The stallion nodded. "Yeah, I'll be okay. I've got some backup."

"Who?"

"You can speak pig-Latin, right?" Peter looked around suspiciously for eavesdroppers before he brought his hoof to his mouth and whispered sotto voce, "I ave-hay Applebloom-hay."

Shaking her head, Twilight grumbled under her breath. "Peter. I have to ask... Just how many times were you dropped on your head as a foal?"

"As a foal?Technically, never, but-"

Twilight threw her hoof over his mouth, exhaling loudly. "Just...be quiet."

Grinning, Peter gently brushed the mare's hoof away. "Spike told me they'll be waiting in the usual spot. I just hope they won't freak out too much.."

"Good. I'm sure everything will go well," Twilight whispered, her voice filled with gentle assurance.

Once Spike stopped by her side with a pen and scroll in hand (or claw, in this case). "Twilight hasn't stopped talking about this. The sooner we get this done, the sooner she'll stop worrying. Honestly, I don't know why she's stressing over it. It's not like anything can go wrong. Right?"

Peter waved his hooves frantically. "Don'teversay, 'What could go wrong?' or anything that even sounds similar! Do youwantthe Parker Luck to hear you?" Everypony rolled their eyes at the accusation, and Twilight could only shake her head, ignoring the stallion's paranoia. Peter sighed. "You all just don't get it. My luck's horrible for a reason..."

The mare's eyes widened as a belated realization came to mind. Twilight turned to face Peter. "We'll go on ahead with what we discussed. I'll gather everypony while you finish your business here in the village. Try not to take too long, okay?"

"Duly noted," Peter said simply, planting a quick kiss on the mare's cheek. "You'll leave Spike at the treebrary? That way, he can send you or Luna a letter to come pick us up when I get back." He planted kisses along the most ticklish places he could find on Twilight's neck, and she found herself giggling too much to answer.

Spike stuck out his tongue, gagging to himself. "You two are so lovey dovey! Can't you do it when I'm not around?"

Trixie huffed as she flipped to the next page of her book. "You think that's bad, Spike? You should have seen them earlier. I didn't think it was possible for ponies to kiss forthatlong." She arched her brow. "Plus, I did not think our princess was the...fondling type."

Flushing, Twilight pushed the stallion off, desperate to divert anypony attention from Trixie's late statement.

Oblivious, Peter nodded, trotting for the door, but he paused to steal one final glance of his friends before pressing onward. "I'll see you again soon!"

Twilight watched her stallion leave the library with a smile, but the moment he was out of sight and hearing distance, she frowned, directing her attention to the baby dragon by her side. "Spike, is everypony ready?"

Nodding, Spike pointed in across the village. "Yeah, they're waiting for us at Rarity's."

"Great. We should head over there right away," Twilight suggested, focusing her energy into her horn. Once it glowed brightly, the alicorn shifted her gaze to where the former stage magician rested. "Trixie, I would appreciate it if you came with us, too."

Trixie's book slipped from her grasp, slamming shut as it fell to the wooden floor. Using her free hoof to brush her silver-blue mane behind her ear, the unicorn could not help but stare at the princess, bewildered. "...I'm honored, Twilight Sparkle, but if I may ask, why do you request Trixie's presence?" She smiled half-heartedly. "I hardly think I'm worth a royal audience."

"Quite the contrary," Twilight protested, shaking her head. "You're our friend, Trixie. One that we can trust fully. There's something Peter wants to tell you, and now is the perfect time to do so." Extending her hoof, the alicorn offered the unicorn a smile. "Come on. I believe it is time you learned the entire truth."

---

Peter locked the door to the treehouse and shut the blinds to each window. Once these tasks had been completed, the stallion eased over to the table at the center of the room, taking a seat between Applebloom, his newly adopted sister, and Sweetie Belle, the foal with an iron grip unlike any other he'd met (not that he'd metthatmany). Babs and Scootaloo sat across from his position, the first giggling at the sight of the unicorn filly clutching the stallion's limb while the latter rolled her eyes, finding the display of affection nauseating.

"Thanks for seeing me on such short notice, girls." Placing his free hoof over Applebloom's crimson mane, Peter chuckled. "I bet you're wondering why yours truly called this emergency Crusader meeting."

"You finally have an idea on how we can get our cutie marks?" Applebloom suggested, causing all of the girls' expressions to beam, but Peter shook his head, deflating the idea as well as their hopes. Her brow furrowed. "Then what's going on, Pete?"

Inhaling deeply, the stallion placed his backpack at the center of the table. Babs Seed, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo stared at the backpack curiously, unsure of what to make of the situation, and Applebloom's eyes widened while she gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to leap onto the table and shield the backpack with her body from her friends. Unlike the others, she knew the importance of the contents inside, but before Applebloom could take any course of action, Peter placed his hoof over her shoulder.

The stallion smiled. "I think it's about time we tell them our secret."

"A-Are you sure?" Applebloom stammered, fidgeting in her seat. "Ah, mean, Ah'm all for it, but what's making you do this?"

"Nothing'smakingme do this, kiddo. There are just a few big things that are about to happen. In a couple of days,everything'sgoing to change for me. Before that happens, I want you all to know the truth about me, but until then, it's top secret. Okay?" Peter pulled back for a moment to gather his thoughts. "The only ponies that know are the princesses, Shining Armor, Zecora, Trixie, the Elements of Harmony, Twilight's parents, and Applebloom."

The three foals turned to face the yellow filly, but Peter raised his hoof before they could pelt his new sister with questions.

"Applebloom figured it out on her own, but she didn't tell you all because she didn't want to tell anypony a secret that wasn't hers to share. It wasn't against you. I promise." Peter was silent for a moment. "I love you girls so much, but-"

Sweetie Belle tightened her grip on Peter's hoof. She gazed up at him with her large glossy, emerald eyes. The blush on her face seemed to have grown darker in tone, probably due to the last statement Peter said. The stallion shifted on his seat, alternating between the foals around the table. Applebloom nodded, poking her hoof into his side as if pushing him to continue, and Sweetie Belle leaned forward, her ears perking in anticipation to hear his words. Babs furrowed her brow, and Scootaloo's hoof tapped at the table impatiently, a look of exasperation on her face.

"I had several reasons for keeping you all in the dark. Part of me thought it could help protect you, but I'm learning that if you knew the truth, you would be safer in the end. Then, I was also afraid of how you might react." Peter sighed as his gaze fell to the ground. He reached out to Babs, taking a moment to brush a few strands of her mane free from her freckled face. She glanced away to hide her embarrassment. Peter exhaled, finding the inner strength to continue. "What I can do...is pretty weird, and I guess I didn't want to risk scaring you away."

Babs edged her seat closer to the point where her body was nudged against Applebloom's. "Scare us away? No way, Peter! You're the nicest pony I've ever met!" She stood from her seat, placing her hooves against the table for support. She blushed visibly. "You'rereallynice and pretty funny, too. I...even wanted to ask Applebloom if we could share you as a big brother." The latter statement slipped from her mouth, forcing the foal to throw her hoof over her muzzle much too late. The temperature in her face rose, and Babs could feel it vividly, evident by her strained smile. "Anyway...you won't creepmeout."

Peter bit his quivering lip, struggling to keep his sudden upswell of emotions from overwhelming him. Somehow he managed, but he found that he needed a distraction. Fortunately, Babs started giggling, and Peter placed his hoof on the foal's head and mussed her short mane. "Thanks, Babs. That means a lot." Slowly but surely, the stallion separated himself from the girls and retrieved his backpack, walking over to the other side of the treehouse. He turned his back to the foals, taking the moment to slide the zipper open with his teeth. Once the backpack was open, Peter turned his head to the side and glanced away. "Scootaloo, I also kept my secret so I wouldn't disappoint you."

...Taken aback, Scootaloo raised her brow and frowned. "Disappoint me? What are youtalkingabout?" Her impatience took hold, evident by her tapping hoof. "You're getting sappy again! Cut it out and just tell us what the secret is already!"

The stallion smirked. He'd tortured them long enough. "I know you're one of Spider-Mane's biggest fans, Scootaloo." In one swift motion, Peter flipped into the air, managing to perched himself on the ceiling. He squatted there with his backpack in hoof, chuckling at the sight of three aghast foals. Peter tossed his costume on the table and shrugged nonchalantly. "Now you know your hero is a blank flank nerd, Scoots."

In span of a second, the treehouse went from the sounds of cool tranquility to erupting in high-pitched squeals.

Sweetie Belle bounced in place, small sparkles of magic escaping from her horn with each jump. Her mouth ran as fast as her mind. "Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh!" Peter was already dreamy, but now it seemed he was better than ever! She peered up at the ceiling, feeling her heart flutter. Peter was the pony who saved her sister. Sweetie Belle nickered with a gleeful squeak, her hooves bucking happily. "Oh, mygosh!"

Babs, normally very reserved, pranced in place and giggled uncontrollably. "You think that's weird? That's the coolest thingever! Wow! Who would'a guessed a scrawny pony like you would have such an awesome secret!" Cantering over to the only pegasus in the room, Babs nudged her in the side. "What do you think, Scootaloo? Pretty cool, huh?"

Scootaloo just stared at Peter for a long minute, her mouth gaping.

The stallion flipped from the ceiling and landed in front of the pegasus. She had grown blue in the face, but judging from her starstruck, oblivious smile, the foal was not aware of her physical state or lack of oxygen intake.

Peter clapped his hooves together in front of her face in a panic. "Scootaloo! Breathe!Breathe!"

Inhaling as much air as her lungs could absorb, Scootaloo did as she was told, but then she trotted over, pressing herself into the stallion's side. Peter stammered and raised his eyebrows in shock. Scootaloo was usually one to avoid close physical contact with others, not instigate it. Applebloom and Babs tilted their heads to alternate sides, and Sweetie Belle rushed to Peter's other side, nudging even further into his body than Scootaloo was already.

"Uh...what are you doing?" Peter asked, fidgeting at the uncomfortable new development. Not that he would otherwise mind, but this wasScootaloo, and it was entirely out of character!

"Stand still!" Scootaloo barked, her hooves sliding against the floor as she continued to move against the unbudging stallion. "I want to absorb some of your powers through osmosis! Then I can be your sidekick!"

Applebloom stared at Scootaloo. "...How do you know what 'osmosis' means?"

Sweetie Belle giggled, wrapping her hooves around one of Peter's forelegs. "I want to be your sidekick, too!"

Babs jumped onto Peter's back. "Me, three! We already have our capes, but we'll need a superhero team name!"

Peter shook his head. "Girls. No. I don't think..."

Sweetie Belle's grip tightened painfully, and Peter wondered if he'd have more bruises in a few minutes. "I'm not a big fan of spiders. How about the Cutie Mark Butterfly Brigade?" Babs nodded, but Scootaloo was too busy trying to absorb super-powers to notice.

Peter's brow twitched. "I feel like I've been here before. Have we been here before?"

Applebloom jumped, excited with the prospect. "Maybe the Cutie Mark Super Squad?"

Peter's eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh my god. Thisishappening again."

"Maybe Peter can change his superhero name a little? Maybe he can become The Great Cutie Mark Crusader Spider-Mane?" Sweetie Belle said, leaving the stallion to groan in exasperation.

As the discussion continued between the Crusaders, Peter´s hoof smacked his forehead in defeat. "Why do I have a feeling this was abigmistake?"

---

Early evening had come, and Peter's day was already really long. He managed to free himself from the Crusaders for the time being, though he could have sworn he heard Sweetie Belle considering superhero outfits. For now, Peter wanted to relax, but that option was unacceptable, as Twilight soon brought him to his rooms in the castle. She'd told him she needed to run and do something, and that he should make his way to the throne room from there. The castle guards let him pass without question. They were already fairly lenient with Peter, considering he was Celestia's and Twilight's guest of honor, but this time they practically scrambled to open doors for him.

Twilight said it was important, and everything indicated that it was true. After a dreadfully quiet journey through the castle, Peter reached the throne room door where two guards stood. They glared at the small pony intently, but after a brief moment, they stepped to the sides, giving Peter the opportunity to ease into the room, swiftly closing the door behind him. They hadn't been nearly as accommodating as the rest of the guards in the castle. Sighing, he turned around, only to be greeted by a pair of large blue eyes, a poofy pink mane, and a matching coat just inches away from his face. Peter stumbled back, bumping into the door with a startlingly loud'thunk,'and the pink mare giggled at his expense.

The stallion sighed. "Pinkie Pie... You have to give me a warning whenever you do that."

Smiling, Pinkie stepped to the side and extended her hoof, directing Peter's line of sight to the table in the center of the room. His eyes widened. The wielders of the Elements of Harmony and Trixie sat next to the High Council, which consisted of Shining Armor and Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and (most recently) Twilight. They offered him a welcoming smile in turn, but Peter found himself too nervous to reply in kind, at least right away.

Pinkie popped up behind Peter, grabbing him by the hoof and leading him to the one available seat at the table. "Come on! This meeting can't start without you!"

Peter hesitantly accepted the seat, which was placed between Twilight and Trixie. "Something tells me this is a really bad idea." Once Pinkie bounced into her own seat across the table, Peter turned to Princess Celestia. "But I'm doing it. It's only because I trust you all."

The princess of the sun bowed her head in gratitude. "Thank you, Peter. I know this feels odd, but it's not as bad as it seems." She then closed her eyes to focus her energy. Suddenly, a crystal ball manifested before her, and Celestia guided the orb over to the stallion's position, placing it in the depression in the table. Peter tilted his head and reached out to touch the crystal ball, but Twilight swatted his hoof with her own, frowning at the stallion afterward. Celestia's smile widened a little, but otherwise she remained just as serene as before. "We were only hoping we could watch some of your memories of past battles. It will not be invasive. We will see only what you allow us to."

Peter tilted his head to the side, an eyebrow arched in question. "Why do you want to see my old fights? Not that I mind, I guess. I'm just...curious."

Luna snorted in a very unladylike way. "Several reasons. You're very formidable, and we were hoping to see how you fought...to improve ourselves." The latter was barely audible, delivered through a strained whisper.

"You've also been through a lot. Since you'll be revealing yourself soon, we wanted to see what you've done in your adventures," Cadance said, pressing her hooves together. "It will also help us understand what you've been through..."

Twilight reached over and placed her hoof on the stallion's shoulder. "You're selfless, and a hero, but you try to keep everything to yourself too much. We...want to help you, Peter. I do, especially. With Osborn on the way, this can help us fight alongside you." Twilight smiled, but her expression stiffened as she glanced at the unicorn next to her stallion. "I brought Trixie like you asked, too. I know how close you two are. Do you really want her here? It's okay if you don't. I can teleport her back to Ponyville otherwise."

Peter waved his hooves defensively, placing one over the magician's shoulder. "No, no! I'm glad you brought Trixie. She's constantly looking out for me, like all of you do. She's a true BFF, even if she tries not to act like it." The stallion smiled at the unicorn. She rolled her eyes, unaware her cheeks had flushed pink. Peter shrugged. "Plus, she'll find out eventually. Everypony's here. Maybe...that'll help her accept the truth better." The stallion furrowed his brow, staring at the crystal ball. "So...what am I supposed to do exactly? Will this ball tune into The Peter Channel on its own?"

Celestia grinned. "No. All you have to do is focus your magic into the orb. Once your thoughts sync with the energies within, you'll fall into a trance. It's perfectly normal. All you have to do is focus on what you want us to see, and we'll be able to watch everything from here." The alicorn smiled solemnly. "This is completely voluntary, Peter. You don't have to do this if you're not comfortable."

"It'll only be memories I choose? I don't see any harm in it." Peter took a calming breath, giving everypony in the room the warmest smile he could muster. "I trust you all with my life. You've done so much for me. It's time I repaid your trust somehow."

Placing his hooves against the table, Peter frowned intently at the crystal ball. He trusted his friends. This was for them, but he didn't want to show them too much if he could help it. Peter's mind ran. As far as they needed to know, all he'd ever done was try to do the right thing, saving people here and there when he could. That should be enough. He'd show them his recent memories and would leave it at that. Placing his horn against the glass orb, Peter closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts. Translucent white energy engulfed his horn and spread throughout the crystal, but a pulsating throb coursed through his cranium, resulting in a surge of golden energy and immense pain.

Peter's eyes shot open, his hazel irises disappearing in a bright flash of light as the crystal ball flared into a blinding miniature sun. Everypony shielded their eyes with their hooves, and Twilight stood from her seat and tried to pull Peter free from the orb, but something about his connection to it prevented her from touching him with her magic. She could only just see the images moving within the sphere as Peter's memories flooded into the device.

Peter slumped as the light surrounding the ball dissipated, and the others watched in rapt attention as the memories in the ball began to play in earnest. Twilight's mouth fell open as a spider lowered itself onto a strange-looking bipedal creature's hand.

This was not a small recap. Somehow, Peter had unloaded years of memory into the crystal ball...

...and they were going to bear witness to it all.

Comments

[Sketchy Markks]

Dundundundun!

[Alchemystudent]

Well, the CMC scene was cute and funny.

[Mighty C]

Now beings one of the best arcs in the whole series.
This is gonna be good.

[demondude123]

8895628

[Amos Anon]

"Stand still!" Scootaloo barked, her hooves sliding against the floor as she continued to move against the unbudging stallion. "I want to absorb some of your powers through osmosis! Then I can be your sidekick!"

Ded

[Progamer]

Good chapter, well now you will know with certainty the life of Peter Parker/Spiderman.

[Progamer]

9150033
I agree 😊